"When asked about FingoldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s proposal, Penguins owner Mario Lemieux told reporters, Ã¢â‚¬Å“IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m going to do what has to be done to protect my investment, no matter what the options are from now on.Ã¢â‚¬ï¿¾

Although I agree with Mario and stand behind him in whatever he decides.......this is a very ominous statement

mnpensfan wrote:"When asked about FingoldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s proposal, Penguins owner Mario Lemieux told reporters, Ã¢â‚¬Å“IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m going to do what has to be done to protect my investment, no matter what the options are from now on.Ã¢â‚¬ï¿¾

Although I agree with Mario and stand behind him in whatever he decides.......this is a very ominous statement

I hope the powers that be read this and do the right thing........

Everyone that keeps saying, "Oh, Lemieux will never sell to an out of town bidder" is completely wrong. He not only has his investment to protect, but the investments of the rest of his group. I'm sure deep down in his heart he wants the team to stay, but he will sell to will he will get the most money.

mnpensfan wrote:"When asked about FingoldÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s proposal, Penguins owner Mario Lemieux told reporters, Ã¢â‚¬Å“IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m going to do what has to be done to protect my investment, no matter what the options are from now on.Ã¢â‚¬ï¿¾

Although I agree with Mario and stand behind him in whatever he decides.......this is a very ominous statement

I hope the powers that be read this and do the right thing........

Everyone that keeps saying, "Oh, Lemieux will never sell to an out of town bidder" is completely wrong. He not only has his investment to protect, but the investments of the rest of his group. I'm sure deep down in his heart he wants the team to stay, but he will sell to will he will get the most money.

Anyone who thinks Lemieux has some loyalty to Pittsburgh that would prevent him from selling to out of towners is nuts. He loves Pittsburgh, but he can't jeopardize his families future to offer charity to the fans.

Pittsburgh has not lived up to it's end of the bargain in repaying him for his efforts to take the team out of bankruptcy. The fans have shown their love of the team, buying tickets in bunches to see a last place team.

It's time for the Politicians to realize that this is not a "hard-ball" stance, but a prudent business move on the part of the current ownership group.

It is becoming more apparent that the "Plan B" is what we initially thought it was, a security blanket for the Politicos to wrap themselves in and say "we tried" as the Pens move out of town.

sent this article and an off-season email to Super Bob & Co Exec &
Fast Eddie.

sad/angry that the city & county is going to let
another opportunity "Sidney" and penguins just leave. But lord
knows we'll have our Hines in Korea & Big Ben eating swiss cheese
and Heath Miller candy bars to keep the city thriving.

City/County doesn't know the PR machine they could have in
Sidney Crosby.

Although I agree with Mario and stand behind him in whatever he decides.......this is a very ominous statement

Okay, now you've struck a nerve. I get so sick of Penguin fans who treat Mario like a freakin' sacred cow.

Is he arguably the greatest hockey player who ever lived? Sure.

Is he a humanitarian? You bet.

Is he God? Umm, no.

So you stand with him if he picks a KC buyer over a 'Burgh buyer, simply because...........well, he's Mario? Gag me with a puck.

It's about time some people renew their vow of alliance to the Pittsburgh Penguins, not the Pittsburgh Marios.

And if that means Mario has to make further sacrifices, so be it. I doubt Austin and the girls will starve to death anytime soon. Let's have some perspective, folks. For Mario, choosing between the 'Burgh and KC will probably be equivalent to choosing between x million and y million. Cry me a river.

Although I agree with Mario and stand behind him in whatever he decides.......this is a very ominous statement

Okay, now you've struck a nerve. I get so sick of Penguin fans who treat Mario like a freakin' sacred cow.

Is he arguably the greatest hockey player who ever lived? Sure.

Is he a humanitarian? You bet.

Is he God? Umm, no.

So you stand with him if he picks a KC buyer over a 'Burgh buyer, simply because...........well, he's Mario? Gag me with a puck.

It's about time some people renew their vow of alliance to the Pittsburgh Penguins, not the Pittsburgh Marios.

And if that means Mario has to make further sacrifices, so be it. I doubt Austin and the girls will starve to death anytime soon. Let's have some perspective, folks. For Mario, choosing between the 'Burgh and KC will probably be equivalent to choosing between x million and y million. Cry me a river.

*exhaling* Ah, I feel better now.

What the hell are you talking about? So you think Mario should sell for less money to a local owner who pledges to keep the team in town, passing on possibly millions more from another buyer who may move the team? Sorry, but, as owner, it's Mario's decision on who he sells to and for what price. You, I, or anybody else would do the same. The almighty dollar rules the day.

KCHockey wrote:I thought any buyer was tied to the Isle of Capri plan?

So, a new owner won't move the team if IofC gets the slots license.

If they don't, all bets are off. Right?

Yes, pretty much. Any new ownership group is bound to the IoC plan until the slots license is awarded. If IoC does not win the license, the new owners can do what they want with the team in July of 2007. It is hoped, around here, that if IoC doesn't get the license, all other politcos and parties involved will run like mad to get a deal in place to keep the Pens here.

Although I agree with Mario and stand behind him in whatever he decides.......this is a very ominous statement

Okay, now you've struck a nerve. I get so sick of Penguin fans who treat Mario like a freakin' sacred cow.

Is he arguably the greatest hockey player who ever lived? Sure.

Is he a humanitarian? You bet.

Is he God? Umm, no.

So you stand with him if he picks a KC buyer over a 'Burgh buyer, simply because...........well, he's Mario? Gag me with a puck.

It's about time some people renew their vow of alliance to the Pittsburgh Penguins, not the Pittsburgh Marios.

And if that means Mario has to make further sacrifices, so be it. I doubt Austin and the girls will starve to death anytime soon. Let's have some perspective, folks. For Mario, choosing between the 'Burgh and KC will probably be equivalent to choosing between x million and y million. Cry me a river.

*exhaling* Ah, I feel better now.

I've thought all along that he should sell to the lowest bidder to appease us. I don't understand why others don't feel the same way. It may be his money, but it's my entertainment for 6 months a year!

What the hell are you talking about? So you think Mario should sell for less money to a local owner who pledges to keep the team in town, passing on possibly millions more from another buyer who may move the team? Sorry, but, as owner, it's Mario's decision on who he sells to and for what price. You, I, or anybody else would do the same. The almighty dollar rules the day.

When the choice is between several dozens of millions, and many dozens of millions, yes I actually expect him to settle for merely several. Horrors!

So no, I don't accept your premise that I would do the same. I'd somehow find it within myself to accept the lower number of millions. Call me crazy!

Why do I get the feeling if Kevin McClatchy owned the Pens, you folks would have far less empathy?

But hey, this is different........it's Mario, and Mario is God! Spare me.

What the hell are you talking about? So you think Mario should sell for less money to a local owner who pledges to keep the team in town, passing on possibly millions more from another buyer who may move the team? Sorry, but, as owner, it's Mario's decision on who he sells to and for what price. You, I, or anybody else would do the same. The almighty dollar rules the day.

When the choice is between several dozens of millions, and many dozens of millions, yes I actually expect him to settle for merely several. Horrors!

So no, I don't accept your premise that I would do the same. I'd somehow find it within myself to accept the lower number of millions. Call me crazy!

Why do I get the feeling if Kevin McClatchy owned the Pens, you folks would have far less empathy?

But hey, this is different........it's Mario, and Mario is God! Spare me.

You're crazy. McClatchy already has his palace, and I wouldn't say a word if he sold to the highest bidder. I mean, a million dollars isn't exactly a lot of money these days. Virtucon alone makes over nine billion dollars a year!

Although I agree with Mario and stand behind him in whatever he decides.......this is a very ominous statement

Okay, now you've struck a nerve. I get so sick of Penguin fans who treat Mario like a freakin' sacred cow.

Is he arguably the greatest hockey player who ever lived? Sure.

Is he a humanitarian? You bet.

Is he God? Umm, no.

So you stand with him if he picks a KC buyer over a 'Burgh buyer, simply because...........well, he's Mario? Gag me with a puck.

It's about time some people renew their vow of alliance to the Pittsburgh Penguins, not the Pittsburgh Marios.

And if that means Mario has to make further sacrifices, so be it. I doubt Austin and the girls will starve to death anytime soon. Let's have some perspective, folks. For Mario, choosing between the 'Burgh and KC will probably be equivalent to choosing between x million and y million. Cry me a river.

*exhaling* Ah, I feel better now.

Nope........I don't agree with Mario because he's Mario. I agree with him in the fact that he's worked his tail off getting this team our of bankruptcy with promise from the powers that be an arena was on it's way. He has sat and watched the bills for Heinz and PNC being footed, now not the Pens. Now you have a solid plan from the IoC that guarentees an arena getting done and it still looks as the the fix is in. No matter who buys the team, Mario has said it will be in the agreement that if the IoC gets the license, the new owners keep the team in Pittsburgh. But Fast Eddie still looks as though he is putting the fix in and the so-called "Plan B" seems to be nothing more than lame attempt at saving face. Nope, if the IoC doesn't get the plan and Mario sells to somebody who wants to move the team, I don't begrudge him one bit. Will I like it....nope. Do I understand it??? Yes. In that sense, I will agree with whatever he decides. But he can't sit and hold the team too long without bleeding cash by playing in the Igloo. This is about business......plain and simple. And as a business man, Mario doesn't want to put up with it anymore......

Mario is not the only one invested in the team. He has many different people involved that most of us have never even heard of. Some of them probably aren't from Pittsburgh, and have no ties to the area. Do you think they will be happy about not receiving a couple million so the team can stay in Pittsburgh? Especially since they have already invested and lost millions of dollars.

KCHockey wrote:I thought any buyer was tied to the Isle of Capri plan?

So, a new owner won't move the team if IofC gets the slots license.

If they don't, all bets are off. Right?

Yes, pretty much. Any new ownership group is bound to the IoC plan until the slots license is awarded. If IoC does not win the license, the new owners can do what they want with the team in July of 2007. It is hoped, around here, that if IoC doesn't get the license, all other politcos and parties involved will run like mad to get a deal in place to keep the Pens here.

It will be too late for the politicos to run like mad to get a deal in place if the IOC doesn't win. The team will be sold by then, and I'm pretty sure the new owners will honor the IOC agreement and keep the team here, but if the IOC doesn't win, they will be on the next moving van out of Pittsburgh as soon as the final horn sounds after the 06-07 season.

In my mind, it's IOC or bust unless some local group with deep pockets matching an out of town bidders bid will keep the team here which is highly unlikely.

KCHockey wrote:I thought any buyer was tied to the Isle of Capri plan?

So, a new owner won't move the team if IofC gets the slots license.

If they don't, all bets are off. Right?

Yes, pretty much. Any new ownership group is bound to the IoC plan until the slots license is awarded. If IoC does not win the license, the new owners can do what they want with the team in July of 2007. It is hoped, around here, that if IoC doesn't get the license, all other politcos and parties involved will run like mad to get a deal in place to keep the Pens here.

It will be too late for the politicos to run like mad to get a deal in place if the IOC doesn't win. The team will be sold by then, and I'm pretty sure the new owners will honor the IOC agreement and keep the team here, but if the IOC doesn't win, they will be on the next moving van out of Pittsburgh as soon as the final horn sounds after the 06-07 season.

In my mind, it's IOC or bust unless some local group with deep pockets matching an out of town bidders bid will keep the team here which is highly unlikely.

That is not quite so true. Have you read any of Draftnik's posts regarding this issue? He makes the absolute most sense out of any of this mess. If IoC doesn't get the license, all the figureheads invovled have to do is give the potential new ownership group a sweetheart deal on the new arena and, as always, they will go (or stay in this case) where the money is.

What the hell are you talking about? So you think Mario should sell for less money to a local owner who pledges to keep the team in town, passing on possibly millions more from another buyer who may move the team? Sorry, but, as owner, it's Mario's decision on who he sells to and for what price. You, I, or anybody else would do the same. The almighty dollar rules the day.

When the choice is between several dozens of millions, and many dozens of millions, yes I actually expect him to settle for merely several. Horrors!

So no, I don't accept your premise that I would do the same. I'd somehow find it within myself to accept the lower number of millions. Call me crazy!

Why do I get the feeling if Kevin McClatchy owned the Pens, you folks would have far less empathy?

But hey, this is different........it's Mario, and Mario is God! Spare me.

KCHockey wrote:I thought any buyer was tied to the Isle of Capri plan?

So, a new owner won't move the team if IofC gets the slots license.

If they don't, all bets are off. Right?

Yes, pretty much. Any new ownership group is bound to the IoC plan until the slots license is awarded. If IoC does not win the license, the new owners can do what they want with the team in July of 2007. It is hoped, around here, that if IoC doesn't get the license, all other politcos and parties involved will run like mad to get a deal in place to keep the Pens here.

It will be too late for the politicos to run like mad to get a deal in place if the IOC doesn't win. The team will be sold by then, and I'm pretty sure the new owners will honor the IOC agreement and keep the team here, but if the IOC doesn't win, they will be on the next moving van out of Pittsburgh as soon as the final horn sounds after the 06-07 season.

In my mind, it's IOC or bust unless some local group with deep pockets matching an out of town bidders bid will keep the team here which is highly unlikely.

That is not quite so true. Have you read any of Draftnik's posts regarding this issue? He makes the absolute most sense out of any of this mess. If IoC doesn't get the license, all the figureheads invovled have to do is give the potential new ownership group a sweetheart deal on the new arena and, as always, they will go (or stay in this case) where the money is.

Do you think the new owners will want to play in the Igloo for another 3-4 years and lose $7M-8M on a good year until the new arena is built, and then pay $4M a year for that new arena when they already have one built and paid for in another city? That is $21-24M in losses while waiting for a new building, saying it will only take 3 years to build, if you go into a 4th year, then it's $28-32M in losses. Also, the Sidney effect will wear off and attendance will drop again if the Pens don't start winning soon, so there could be even larger losses. Then on top of that, giving up $4M a year for that new building.

A new city will have just as good attendance as Pittsburgh at first because it is a new commodity. The new owners will reap the benefits for a while then sell again in about 10 years.

So do you think they will sit around in Pgh. for half of the time losing money and then have to wait at least the same amount of time to make it back. It will take them around 8-10 years to make their money back if the loses Lemiuex is saying is happening in the Igloo is true.

Fine. Then Sawyer and Mario should stop blowing smoke up our a***s about their altruistic desire to keep the Pens in Pittsburgh. Just call a spade a spade--absent an IOC win, we're up for the highest bidder. And since an IOC win would be automatically be the highest bid, it's nothing more than franchise free agency, baby.

Why do you think Sawyer was so eager to cry about the "gaps" in Plan B? To keep the focus on the highest bid--IOC. Why should Sawyer and Mario give a hoot about Plan B's supposed "gaps" anyway? They won't own the team anymore! That is, unless it will depress the sale price of course. Don Barden has a point.

Besides, it wouldn't be the first time the franchise insulted our intelligence.....

"We acquired mostly guys that are having an upswing right now," Patrick said. "This is the best deal we can make for what we think we need in our lineup right now to make the playoffs. Based on that, we believe we made a deal that will enable us to make the playoffs and have a good run." Asked if that meant his team was better, he replied, "It does make us better at this point. I feel very strongly that our team will be more competitive going forward, and that's why I went ahead and did it."

My point isn't to dredge up the past. It's merely to indicate that this franchise, and its leader, shouldn't be lionized the way they are. The Three Amigos are buffoons to be sure, but the Penguins have taken their fans for suckers too. There's enough blame to go around. I know that isn't the conventional wisdom, but so often conventional wisdom is wrong.

Last edited by imau2fan on Tue May 09, 2006 2:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.